[Libs-Or] Attempts to censor bookstore display in Ashland.

[Dale Vidmar]

This was my post to the Ashland Daily Tidings:

As a professor and librarian with a Master's degree in library science, I
would like to point out that what OSF Executive Director Cynthia Rider and
others have done by initiating a boycott of the Shakespeare Books &
Antiques bookstore is censorship.

Censorship is defined on the American Library Association's Intellectual
Freedom and Censorship page as follows:

*"Censorship is the suppression of ideas and information that certain
persons—individuals, groups or government officials—find objectionable or
dangerous. It is no more complicated than someone saying, 'Don’t let anyone
read this book, or buy that magazine, or view that film, because I object
to it!' Censors try to use the power of the state to impose their view of
what is truthful and appropriate, or offensive and objectionable, on
everyone else. Censors pressure public institutions, like libraries, to
suppress and remove from public access information they judge inappropriate
or dangerous, so that no one else has the chance to read or view the
material and make up their own minds about it. The censor wants to prejudge
materials for everyone."*

Banned books displays are vehicles by which libraries, bookstores, and
other entities point out materials that have been challenged in the past
for the edification of others. It is not much different than a Shakespeare
play that challenges an audience's sensibilities when using a female in a
typically male role. A banned books display is not a shrine for the best of
human behavior. It is a display that begs us to ask, "Why?"

OSF led by Cynthia Rider, Bill Rauch, and some individuals who feel
offended by a censorship display really need to ask themselves, "Why?" To
question the display is a good thing because it creates the dialog. To seek
censorship is wrong.

```````````````

The post was in response to the following article and other information on
this matter:

http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20160805/OPINION/160809892

Dale Vidmar

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dale Vidmar
Professor
Information Literacy and Instruction Librarian/Distance Education
Coordinator/
Education, Communication, Nursing, Health, Physical Education, &
Leadership Librarian
Digital Media Gallery Venue Coordinator
Hannon Library
1250 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, OR 97520
541-552-6842
vidmar at sou.edu
http://hanlib.sou.edu/dale

"Anything that I ever did that was ultimately worthwhile,
initially scared me to death."
- Betty Bender
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Wed, Aug 10, 2016 at 2:15 PM, Tony <tony_greiner at hotmail.com> wrote:

> The situation in Ashland calls for more than a theoretical response.
>
>
> According to the ALA's Freedom to Read statement, items 6 is directly
> germane for library action in this case.
>
>
> *6. It is the responsibility of publishers and librarians, as guardians of
> the people's freedom to read, to contest encroachments upon that freedom*
> [freedom to read] *by individuals or groups seeking to impose their own
> standards or tastes upon the community at large; and by the government
> whenever it seeks to reduce or deny public access to public information.*
>
>
> This doesn't say libraries and librarians will only resist censorship of
> library materials.
>
>
> Tony Greiner, Portland Community College Library
>
>
> Primo and Alma: Making WorldCat Local Look Good
> **tony_greiner at hotmail.com**
>
> _____________________________________________________
> Libs-Or mailing list
> Libs-Or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
> http://listsmart.osl.state.or.us/mailman/listinfo/libs-or
> Hosted by the Oregon State Library. The Library is not responsible for
> content.
> Questions related to message content should be directed to list owner(s)
> or the sender of the message, by phone or email.
> Technical questions? Call 503-378-8800.
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://omls.oregon.gov/pipermail/libs-or/attachments/20160811/87977253/attachment.html>